Ventilating system for mines.



UNTTED STA oi rrc.

MARTIN WARD, OF HOUTZDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

VENTILATING SYSTEM FOR MINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14: 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN WARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Houtzdale, in the county of Clearfield and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVentilating Systems for Mines; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to improvements in ventilating systems for mines.

The object of the invention is to provide a system of ventilation bymeans of which fresh air will be caused to circulate through all partsof the mine workings so that the miners in one section of the mine willnot be compelled to breathe the air used by miners in another part ofthe mine.

Another object is to prevent the accumulation of gas in dangerousquantities.

\Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists ofcertain novel features of construction, combination ant. arrangement ofparts, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan View of amine illus trating my improved system of ventilation; Fig. 2 is asectional View, showing the manner in which the currents of air comingin one direction are enabled to cross other air currents; Fig. 3 is avertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the arrangement ofthe temporary partitions provided.- to create a circulation of air atthe end of a working, before a cross out has been formed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l and 2 denote the mainpassages of the mine, the passage 1 serving as a main air inlet conduitand the passage 2 as a main air outlet conduit. Connected with the mainair inlet passage is a series of branch passages 3 which serve as branchair inlet conduits to conduct the air back to the working in the mine.Connected to the main air outlet passage 2 is a series of branchpassages 4 which serve as branch air outlet conduits, by means of whichthe air is conducted from the mine workings to the main air outletpassage.

WVith the branch air outlet passages are connected the rooms 5 fromwhich the coal is being removed and the various rooms along the branchair outlet passages 41: are connected together by cross cuts 6. Thebranch air inlet passages 3 are connected with the last room of eachseries by a head ing 7, new headings being formed and the old onesclosed, as additional rooms are worked out along the passages 4 so thatthe air in passing through the branch air inlet passages will continuethrough the last heading and enter the last room of each series and fromthe last room will pass to the other rooms of the series through thecross cuts 6 connecting the rooms and will pass out through the firstroom of the series and into the branch discharge passages 4, by means ofwhich the air is conducted to the main discharge passages 2 and passesfrom the mine.

The connection between the various rooms of each series with the branchoutlet passages, with the exception of the first room and the last room,are closed by doors 8, which 'may be formed of any suitable material.The air outlet passages are also closed by doors 9 adjacent to theconnection of the last room therewith so that the fresh air from thebranch air inlet passages will be caused to enter the last room throughthe last heading of each pair of branch air inlet and outlet passages.As the work in the various series of rooms progresses and new headingsare formed between the pairs of branch passages, the old headingsconnecting said passages are closed by stoppings or brattices 10 whichare preferably formed of concrete masonry and are arch-shaped orconcaved on their inner sides and have their edges set into the adjacentwalls of the headings. This construction of the stoppings or bratticesenables them to withstand the pres sure caused by explosions in themines and also prevents holes being formed therein by rats. Thesebrattices or stoppings are arranged at each end of the headings, thuspreventing the formation of recesses or pockets where gas might collector accumulate.

As the various rooms of each series are worked out and the materialremoved therefrom, new cross cuts 6 are formed between each alternatepair of rooms and the old cross cuts closed by means of brattices 12which are arranged at each end of the cross cuts to prevent theformation of pockets in which the gas might accumulate. While the lastrooms are being formed, or while the work is being carried on at theends of the branch passages, before the new cross cut or heading isformed, I preferably divide these end workings or rooms by a centrallyarranged partition 13 which is preferably formed of canvas and extendsthrough the center of the room or passage and is suspended from theceiling in any suitable manner, thus dividing the room or passage intotwo parts, so that the air when entering the same, will pass up one sideof the partition and around the inner end of the same and back to theopposite side, thus providing for a circulation of air through the endsof the new rooms or workings.

At the ends of each of the branch air inlet passages, where the samecommunicate with the main air passage are arranged suitable doors 14which may be opened and closed to the desired extent for regulating thepassage of air to the branch inlet passages and the rooms connectedtherewith. Where it is necessary for the branch air inlet and outletpassages to cross the main inlet or outlet passages in making properconnections therewith, I provide overcasts 15 which are in the form ofarches arranged in the main inlet and outlet passages, as shown, in Fig.20f the drawings. By means of the arches or overcasts 15, the air fromthe branch passages will be conducted through the main passages, as willbe understood.

Arranged in the air inlet passage, adjacent to the entrance of the mineare hinged doors 16 which are adapted to swing back into recesses 17 inthe sides of the passage 1 and are normally held open by the pressure ofthe air passing into the mine through the main inlet passage 1. Shouldan explosion occur in the mine, the back pressure of the air caused bythe explosion will automatically close the doors 16 and thus prevent theforce of the explosion from reaching the fan andthereby injuring thesame. In order to relieve the pressure occasioned by the explosion andto permit the gas and air to escape, I preferably connect the maininletand outlet passages 1 and 2, adjacent to the doors 16 by a passage18, the ends of which are closed by a light framework 19 of any suitableconstruction, which will be readily blown out by the force of theexplosion, after the doors 16 are closed, thus permitting the gas andair to passout through the discharge or outlet passage 2. After the gasand foul air resulting from the explosion, has passed out through thepassage 18, the latter is closed temporarily by means of sliding doors20 which are arranged in re cesses formed in the opposite sides of thepassage 18 midway between its ends. By thus arranging the doors 20, theinlet and outlet passages l and 2 may be quickly separated after anexplosion, enabling the cir culatlon of air to be continued through themine.

The course of the air through the several passages and rooms islndlcated 1n the drawngs by means of arrows and from the description, itwill be readily seen that eachseries of rooms is independently suppliedwith fresh air which is conducted directly to the point where theworkings are being made so that the men in one section of the mine arenot compelled to breathe the air being used by the men in the othersections of the mine. This arrangement also prevents the air fromaccumulating gas in suflicient quantities to cause dangerous explosions,as is frequently the case when the same air passes continuously throughthe mine and is re peatedly breathed and exhaled so that before reachingan exit it has become heavily .ladened or charged with gas and thusforms a dangerous element.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, as defined in theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a system of mine ventilation, a main air inlet passage, and a mainair outlet passage, a series of branch air inlet and outlet passagesconnected with said main passages, series of rooms connected with eachof said branch inlet and outlet passages, means whereby the air fromsaid branch inlet passages is caused to independently circulate througheach series of rooms and to be discharged therefrom into' said branchoutlet passage and to be conducted thereby to the main outlet passage,doors arranged in said main inlet passage, said doors being held open bythe pressure of air entering through the passage and adapted toautomatically close by the back pressure of air from an explosion in themine, and means whereby the pressure of air caused by the explosion isreleased after said doors are closed.

2. In a system of mine ventilation, a main air inlet passage and a mainair outlet passage, a series of branch air inlet and outlet passagesconnected with said main passages, series of rooms connected with eachof said branch inlet and outlet passages, means whereby the air fromsaid branch inlet passages is caused to independently circulate througheach series of rooms and to be discharged therefrom into saidbranchoutlet passage and to be conducted thereby to the main outletpassage, doors arranged in said main inlet passage, said doors beingheld open by the pressure of air entering through the passage andadapted toautomatically close by the back pressure of air from anexplosion in the mine, an air relief passage connecting said main inletand outlet passages, a frame Work to close the opposite ends of saidpassages and adapted to be blown out by the pressure of air and gasafter said doors are closed, and temporary doors arranged in said reliefpassages to close the same after an explosion.

3. In a system of mine ventilation, a main inlet passage and a mainoutlet passage, a series of branch air inlet and outlet passagesconnected With said main air inlet and out let passages, headings toconnect said branch passages, stoppings or brattices arranged at eachend of said headings to close the same and prevent the formation of gasaccumulating pockets therein, a series of rooms connected to said branchpassages, a series of cross cuts between certain of said rooms toprovide for the circulation of air from the same, bratticesarranged ineach end of said cross cuts to close the same and prevent the formationof gas accumulating pockets, and doors arranged in said rooms and branchout-let passages to close the same thereby causing the air from thebranch inlet passages to circulate through the rooms of each series andto be conducted to the main air outlet passage Without entering therooms of any other series.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of tWosubscribing Witnesses.

MARTIN \VARD. Witnesses:

GEO. CHARLTON, FEED. T001).

